Clock-dial



1. P. BECKER.

CLOCK DIAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, 1920.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

INV ENTOR Johannes 1". Becker WCLMFM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JonANnEs r. BECKER, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

CLOCK-DIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1. 1921.

Application filed February 4, 1920. Serial No. 356,177.

One of the objects of the resent invention I is to provide a simple easi y readable time indicating dial for clocks, watches and the like, and particularly a time indicating dial which is adapted for railroad work, etc, where it is decidedly imperative that mistakes are not made when giving or reading time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dial which has printed or otherwise marked thereon hour and minute graduations, said graduations being arranged in concentric circles; the minute graduations exterior of the hour graduations; further a dial which is provided both with hour and minute numerals and on which the hour numerals are placed centrally between the hour graduations and in advance thereof.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

A further description of the invention will be given, having reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a plan View of the time indicating dial.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A indicates a dial on which is formed two graduated circles as indicated at 2 and 3. The outer circle is divided into sixty divisions to indicate the minutes of an hour and each fifth division is marked with an arrow head l to indicate every five minutes. The inner circle consists of twelve semi-circles which are connected by hour marks in the form of arrow heads 5 and placed within each semicircle and in advance of each hour mark is an hour numeral. Placed in alinement with the hour marks and the five minute marks on the minute circle are minute indicating numerals. The graduated hour circle is thennnermost circle and the minute circle is the outer circle. The minute numerals are placed intermediate the two circles and the hour numerals interior of the semi-circles, of which the inner circle is formed.

The dial constructed as here shown has several distinctfeatures not common to ordinary time indicating dials. First, it Wlll be seen that two distinct concentric circles are formed one to indicate the hours and one to indicate the minutes. These circles are widely separated and obviate the possibility of misreading the time. Secondly it can be seen that the minute numerals are arranged exterior of the hour numerals and can therefore not be easily confused with the same. Third it will be seen that the hour numerals are placed within the semi-circles and in.

advance of their adjacent hour marks, this being an entirely new and distinct feature over ordinary dials as the hour numerals are generally placed in alinement with the hour marks. Another novelty of the present invention is the elimination of the numeral 60. The reason therefore is this: At twelve oclock the minute hand will point to "0 in place of 60 as is usually the case, and the hour hand will point to the hour dot on which the semi-circle begins, which connects the arrow heads representing 12 and 1. This semi-circle is marked 12 and therefore indicates that as long as the hour hand moves in this space it is 12 oclock plus the minutes indicated by the minute hand and as these numerals are distinctly readable it takes no calculation or loss of time to determine the exact or correct time.

The use of the numeral 60, whether on the second dial or on the main minute graduation, is entirely in error. For instance one might speak of 1 hour 59 minutes and 59 seconds, but one will never speak of 1 hour and 60 minutes as this will be two hours. In telling time we have the same proposition; it'might be 12 oclock, 59 minutes and 59 seconds, but never 12 oclock and 60 minutes as this would be 1 oclock. Hence the reason for eliminating the numeral 60, whether it be on the second graduations, if a second hand is employed, or on the minute graduations. The numerals indicating the minutes,

-which in this instance are interposed between the two graduated circles, should therefore be indicated by numerals from 1 to 59, and then 0, 01' indicated by five minute numerals as here shown which terminate with and then 0.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a time indicating dial for clocks, watches or the like, a pair of concentric circular graduations, one for hour marks and one for minute marks, the minute marks being exterior of the hour marks, and hour indicating numerals placed within the inner circular hour graduation, each numeral be ing placed in advance of its hour graduation.

2. Bi clock or time indicating dial having a pair of concentric circles formed thereon, graduated into hours and minutes the hour graduations being interior of the minute ""aduations, said hour graduated circle con- 11g of twelve connected semi-circles and hour indicating numerals placed within each semi-circle and in advance of its adjacent hour graduation.

11 clock dial hating a circle t'ornied thereon consisting of twelve connected semicircles, and hour indicating numerals placed within the semi-circles and each numeral in advance ol its hour indicating graduation.

l. A clock dial having a circle formed thereon consisting of twelve connected semicircles, hour indicating numerals placed within the semi-circles and each numeral in advance oi its hour indicating graduation, and a circle exterior oi the hour graduating circle, said circle being graduated into minutes.

5. 31 clock dial having a circle formed thereon consisting of twelve connected semicircles, hour indicating numerals placed Within the semi-circles and each numeral in advance of its hour indicating graduation, a circle exterior of the hour graduating circle, said circle being graduated into minutes and minute indicatin numerals formed on.

the dial and interposed between the two graduated circles and in alinenient with the hour indicating graduations.

o. In a time indicating dial for clocks, watches or the like, a pair of concentric circular graduations, one for hour marks and one for minute marks, the minute marks being exterior of the hour marks, hour indicating numerals placed within the inner circular hour graduations, each numeral being placed in advance of its hour graduation, and minute indicating numerals interposed between the hour and the minute graduations.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the bresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHANNES P. BECKER. Witnesses:

lV. WV. HEALEY, M. E. EWING.

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